SUPERIOR COURT
A former Jones County Deputy charged with four counts of sexual exploitation of children entered a negotiated guilty plea in Jones County Superior Court.
Kevin Harden, 42, received a 20-year sentence for one count of sexual exploitation of children with 19 of those years to be served in prison. The remaining year may be served on probation, and he will receive credit for the time he has served since his arrest.
Harden entered the plea May 25 represented by public defender Tom O’Donnell. The case was prosecuted by Ocmulgee Circuit District Attorney Wright Barksdale, and Superior Court Judge Alison Burleson accepted the plea.
Barksdale said he met with Harden’s attorney two weeks ago to work out the plea agreement.
“The result of this meeting ended with a plea agreement to one count of sexual exploitation. The maximum sentence for said count is 20 years with 19 years to serve in prison,” the prosecutor said.
He explained that the law requires at least one year on probation.
The district attorney added the law enforcement community is extremely disappointed in Harden. “His crimes are unspeakable, but he accepted responsibility immediately and agreed to the maximum sentence on one count,” Barksdale said. “In exchange, my office and the GBI agreed to dismiss the three other counts. I appreciate the manner and integrity which our sheriff and other law enforcement officers handled this matter, which clearly showed that no one is above the law.”
A story about Harden’s arrest in The Jones County News states he was arrested April 13 after warrants were served at his residence by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s Child Exploitation and Computer Crimes Unit, with the assistance of members of the Jones County Sheriff Office and the GBI Milledgeville Regional Investigative Office.
The warrants showed two of the sexual exploitation charges were for possession of child pornography and the other two were for the distribution of child pornography. The warrants were explicit in the pornographic acts found on each of the videos.
Jones County Sheriff Butch Reece announced the firing of Harden the same afternoon. He said Harden has been a deputy with the sheriff’s office since 2017, and he was fired upon his arrest.
Reece said he was disgusted by that behavior and wished to convey his prayers to any child or parent who have been victims of Sexual Exploitation. He also expressed his appreciation to those who worked the case that included members of the Child Exploitation and Computer Crimes Unit of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and all the dedicated men and women of law enforcement who go to work every day to protect children and expose those who prey on them.
